Using Emotional Intelligence to Increase Success

Below is a recently published article I wrote as a guest columnist for Winning Workplaces...

Source: Winning Workplaces - Ask an Expert.  Winning Workplaces is a nonprofit providing small and midsize employers with proven, practical and affordable people practices.

Published: April 13, 2010 

 

Q: I've run a small business for about 10 years, and I see the term "emotional intelligence" popping up more and more in business publications. What is it, and how can I use it to improve my business results?

A: What if you could reduce or even avoid conflicts at work? What if you could elicit more volunteerism, cooperation and collaboration in your organization? What might happen if you could better manage your emotional reactions to incidents and respond versus react without control?

That is the power of emotional intelligence. This is a set of skills that includes control of one's impulses, self-motivation, empathy and social competence in interpersonal relationships. Daniel Goleman, author of the classic 1995 book Emotional Intelligence, popularized this term. In the Harvard Business Review he reported on his study of emotional intelligence and its role in the success of business leaders. The good news is emotional intelligence can be learned and improved, and it has a 2 to 1 success ratio over IQ and technical skills!